Loose-leaf binder.



w. T. PITT.

` LoosB lLEAI BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. a, 1911, 1,079,580 Patented Nov.25, 1913.

2 sHEBTs-sI1EET 1.

Mmm,

w. P. PITT. LoosE LEAP BINDERT APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1911.

1,079,580. :Patented N0v.25,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

11,111 'n 'para' [N VEN TOR.

d UNITED s'rimis 'PATENT oFFicE.

WILLIAM l. PITT,

FACTURING COMPA 0F INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 IRVING-PI'TTMANU- NY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CDRPORAIION 0F `MISSOURI.

IIZL'OOSE-ILEAIEo BINDER.

To all whom'z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. Pri'r, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Independence, in the county ofJackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is aspecilication.

My invention relates loose leaf binders. It relates particularly toloose leaf binders of the type having a follower slidably mounted onleaf supporting posts.

The -object of my invention is to rovlde a structure which is cheap tomanu acture, is durable, efficient in.y operation, and which is notliable Vto get out of order.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tubular follower inwhichthe parts for clampingly engaging the leaf supportin posts areinclosed by the follower thus eminating liability of accidentald1sarrangement of the operating parts and affording a compact structurewhich 1s attractive in appearance.

Other novel features of construction are to improvements in -hereinafterfully described and claimed.

posts, the binding being omitted, andthe parts contained within thefollower being shownin plan. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on theplane of the line c-d of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thebinder. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of theclamping devices and parts connected therewith. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview' of one of the clamping plates. Fig. 7 is a erspective view bloc sthe spring mounted thereon and the roller wedge mounted therein. Fig. 8is a perspective view of the slide bar for releasingthe wedges. 'i

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout thedifferent views.

Specification of Letters Intent. Application led November 8, 1911.

of one of the clamping.

, plates 17 Patented Nov. 25, 1913. Serial No. 659,144. v

1 designates the base plate of the binder which are secured one set ofendsj of two parallel leaf supporting posts 2.

A tubular follower, ably. a tubular body 8 having end caps 4 providedwith projections 5 which enter corresponding slots in the ends of thebody 3, is connected to a swinging cover 6-by ears 7 secured to one sideedge of the body 3 and hinged to a pintle 8 mounted in a folded plate 9secured to one end of the cover 6. The body v3 is provided-in its upperand lower sides with holes 10 adapted to receive the posts 2. In thebody 3 are located two clamping members comprising comprising prefertwoplates 11 each having at its ends down-l wardly turned corner portions12 which rest upon the bottom portion of the body 3. Each plate 11 isprovided with a vertical hole 13- adapted to holes 10 so as to receivethe adjacent post 2. At one end of the hole 13 is provided a bearlngportion 14 which is adapted to clamp against the adjacent post 2. At theother end of the hole 13 is an inclined seat 15 against whichrests awedge, preferably va roller 16, which is movable to and from a registerwithk one set of i position in which it is adapted to engage the postl 2and force the pcst against the bearing portion 14. f

For normally forcing the wedges 16 in to locking engagement with theinclined seats 15 and posts 2, I preferably provide two springscomprising preferablyI'spring plates 17 kwhich arerespectively mountedon the clamping members or plates 11 and are pro ,vided with holes 18adapted toreceive the posts 2 and t-ongues'19 which respectively earupon the upper sides of vthe roller 'wedges 16 for forcing the rollersrespectively downwardly against the seats 15.` To vretain each springplatev 17 in position on plate l1, it is preferably prof its supportingvided with downwardly extending corner projections 20 which rest uponthe corner portions 12 of the plate 11. lWhen the corner portions 12 aredownwardly bent shoulders 21 are provided whichserve to engage theprojections 20 for preventing lengthwise movement of the spring plate onthe plate 11. The upper sidesof the spring bear upon the under side ofthe upper part of the body 3,y thereby 'causing the spring plates 17 tobe securely held in position without the use of other securing means.

i Horizontally and longitudinally slidable in the body 3 is a releasingmember comprising preferably a plate 22'having two longitudinal slits 23through which -the posts 2 are adapted to respectively extend. The plate22 is also provided with upwardly extending cams 24 which, when theplate 22 is moved longitudinally to the proper position, simultaneouslyengage uand lift the roller wedges 1 and 2 to the release position shownin Fig. 5. To reciprocate the plate '22 I preferably provide a button 25provid- 'f ed with a shank 26 which extends through a slot 28 providedin the upper side of the body'3, and has its lower end provided with anannular groove 29 in which is located the plate 22. The plate 22 isprovided preferably with a longitudinal slot 30 in a raised centralportion 31 of the plate 22. The slot 30 has a central enlargement 32which is a little smaller in diameter than the shank 26. The lower endof the shank 26 is preferably .beveled so that the shank may be forcedinto the slot 30 to the position shown in Fig. 1. The relations of theparts are such that the resiliency of the plate 22 will spring the plateinto the groove 29, the long slot. 30 being provided so that in forcingthe shank 26 into locked relation to the plate 22, the metal will not bestretched to too great an extent to permit its springing back -into thegroove 29.

In the operation of my invention, the fol- `on the posts 2 and sliddownward thereon `until it clamps the loose leaves 33 which are adaptedto be mounted en the posts 2. Any attempt to move the rfollower upwardlywill be prevented by the i wedges 16 bearing against the posts 2 and thelseats 15 thus forcing the posts against the bearing portions 14 andcausing the posts to be tightly clamped. Any `down-- ward movement ofthe follower on the posts 2 will cause the roller wedges 16 to lift fromthe seats 15 against the pressure of the spring tongues 19. To releasethe leaves 33, the button 25 is slid in the slot- 28 in a di- `rectionsuch that the cams 24 of the plate 22 will pass under the roller wedges16. `The wedges will thus be lifted from the seats 1-5, as shown in Fig.5, so that the follower will be free to theposts 2.

In order that the clamping plates 11 may be adjusted toward and fromeachother, within predetermined limits, these platesare slidably mounted inthebody 1 between inwardly extending projections 34 disposed at oppositeendsof the plates 11 in the body 3. Each pair of projections 34 arespaced apart sufficiently to permlt of a small 16 from the lockingpositions, shown in Figs.

the hole in be slid upwardly on.

the bearing portion, means movement of the By means of this constructionamount i of longitudinal plate 11.

i absolute accuracy in securing of the posts 2 at. certain distancesapart need not be attained. The holes in the basel in which are securedthe osts 2, and the holes 10 in the body 3 may e located by gagingd-uring the steps of manufacture, and different dies for punching platesin which the holes are located at different distances apart need not be`provided. If the distance between the posts 2 of a binder varies to asmall extent from the proper distance, the plates 11, beinglongitudinally movable, themselves to the posts.

I' do not limit my invention to the struc- -ture described and shown, asmodifications of my invention, within the scope of the appended claims,may be made without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire' to Patent,is:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a tubular follower having a hole forreceiving a post and having a slot, a clamping member in the followerand having a hole registering with the follower for receiving the post,said member at one end of the hole having a bearing portion and havingan inclined seat, a wedge movable to and from' a position in which it isadapted to engage the seat and post for forcing the post against saidbearing portion, a spring for forcing the wedge to said position, areleasing member in the follower for forcing the wedge from saidposition, and an operating member extending through the slot foractuating' the releasing member. f

y2. In a loose leaf binder, a tubular follower having a hole forreceiving a post and having a slot, a clamping member in the followerand having a hole registering with the hole in the follower forreceiving the post,`said member having at one end of the hole a bearingportion and having an inclined seat, a' wedge movable to and vfrom aposition in which it is adapted to engage the seat and post for forcingthe post against said bearing portion, a spring for normally moving thewedge to said position, and means including a Adevice s'lidably mountedin'the slot for moving the wedge from said position. y

3; In a loose leaf binder, a tubular follower having a hole forreceiving a post and having a slot, a clamping member in' the followerand having a hole registering with the hole in the follower forreceiving the post,

said member having at one end of the hole a bearing portion and havingan inclined seat, a wedge movable to and from a position in which it isadapted to engage the seat and post for moving the post against fornormally will adjust secure by Letters l an inclined seat, a wedgeforcing the wedge to said position, a releasing member slidably mountedin the folzlower for moving the wedge from said position, and anoperating member extending through and slidable in the slot foractuating the releasing member.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a tubular folber slidable in the follower formoving thev wedge from said position.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a tubular follower having a hole forreceiving a post and having a slot, a clamping member'in the followerand having a hole registering with thel hole in the follower forreceiving the post, said member having at one end of its hole a bearingportion and having movable to and from a position "in which it isadapted to engage the seat and post for forcing the post against saidbearing portion, a spring for normally'moving the wedge toward saidposition, a releasing member slidably mounted in the follower for movingthe wedge from said position, and an operating member extending throughand slidable in said slot for actuating the releasing member.

6. lIn a loose `leaf binder, a tubular follower having two holes adaptedto respectively receive two .parallel posts, two clam' ing meansadjustable relatively to each other in said follower and respectivelyincluding two wedges movable to and from positions in which they areadapted to respectively engage said posts, and means for simultaneouslymoving the wedges from said positions.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a follower having two holes for respectivelyreceiving two parallel posts, two clamping means adjustable on saidfollower toward andl from each.

other and including respectively two wed es movable toward and frompositions in whlch they are ladapted to respectively engage said posts,and means for lsimultaneously moving said wedges from said positions.

' 8. In a loose leaf'binder, a follower having two holes forrespectively receivingtwo parallel posts, two clamping means includingrespectively two clamping members adjustable on said follower toward andfrom each other and two wedges movable toward and from positions invwhich ed to engage said posts respectively and said positions,

a hole regiae that the shank may be tral enlarged portion twosubscribing witnesses.

they are adapti clamping members, two springs for respectively -movingthe wedges toward said and means for simultaneously moving the wedgesfrom said positions.

9. In a loose leaf binder, a tubular follower having two holes adaptedto respectively receive two parallel posts and having a slot,two'clamping members mounted in said follower andv having each a bearingportion and an inclined seat, two wedges movable to and from positionsin which they are adapted to respectively engage said seats and saidposts for respectively forcing the posts agalnst said bearing portions,means for normally moving the wedges toward said positions, and meansincluding adevice movable in said slot for simultaneously moving thewedges from said positions.

l0. -In a loose leaf binder, a tubular follower having two'holes adaptedto respectively receive two parallel posts, two clamping members mountedin said follower and 'having each a bearing portion and an incllnedseat, two wedges movable to'and from vpositions in which they areadapted to respectively engage said seats and said posts for forcingthe' posts against said bearing portions respectively, two springs forrespectively moving said positions, and means adapted tooperatesimultaneously on the wedges for moving them from-said positions.

1l. In a loose leaf binder, a plate having a slot, and a button having ashank provided with an annular groove in which the plate Iis located,the width and length of the slot and diameter of the shank being suchthat the shank may be sprung into the slot without spreading the platebeyond the limits of its resiliency.

12. In a loose leaf binder, a slot provided with acentral enlargedportion, and a button having a shank provided with an annular groove,the diameter of the grooved portion of theI shank being greater than thewidth of the enlarged portion, and the diameter of the shank at oppositesides of the groove being greater than the diameter of the enlargedvportion of the slot, the width and length of the slot, the resiliencyof the plate and the diameters of the shank being such forced into Athecenof the slot without wedges toward said of the slot at opposite sidesioo a plate having expanding the plate beyond its limits of

